Oscillation damping of a sprayer boom of an agricultural spraying machine

Abstract

An agricultural spraying machine having a defined transport width includes a chassis supported on the ground and configured to be set into motion in a forward direction, and a sprayer boom mounted on the chassis. A controller operably controls an actuator influencing the propulsion speed or driving direction of the chassis or the sprayer boom for reducing an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction. The controller triggers the actuator in response to a detected or expected oscillation of the boom due to a resulting change of speed or travel direction of the chassis or sprayer boom. An oscillation in an opposite phase to the detected or expected oscillation of the sprayer boom is induced in the sprayer boom adapted to lead to the reduction or cancellation of the oscillation of the sprayer boom.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An agricultural spraying machine having a defined transport width, comprising:
 a chassis supported on the ground and configured to be set into motion in a forward direction, 
 a sprayer boom mounted on the chassis, the sprayer boom having a width transverse to the forward direction that is a multiple of the transport width of the spraying machine, and 
 an electronic controller operably controlling an actuator influencing the propulsion speed or driving direction of the chassis or the sprayer boom for reducing an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction, 
 wherein, the controller operably triggers the actuator in response to a detected or expected oscillation of the boom due to a resulting change of speed or travel direction of the chassis or sprayer boom, 
 wherein, an oscillation in an opposite phase to the detected or expected oscillation of the sprayer boom is induced in the sprayer boom adapted to lead to the reduction or cancellation of the oscillation of the sprayer boom, and 
 wherein the controller operably determines accelerations acting on an operator of the spraying machine and triggers the actuator in such a manner as to reduce the accelerations acting on the operator to a predefined threshold value. 
 
     
     
       2. The spraying machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is coupled to a sensor for detecting an oscillation of the sprayer boom and is operable to trigger the actuator based on the detected oscillation. 
     
     
       3. The spraying machine of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor comprises:
 an inertial sensor coupled to the sprayer boom, or 
 a sensor configured to detect the distance between the chassis and the sprayer boom. 
 
     
     
       4. The spraying machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is provided with predefined information or information determined by sensors with regard to the response of the sprayer boom to an acceleration or change of direction of the chassis, the controller configured to trigger the actuator based on a signal supplied regarding unintended acceleration of the chassis and on the predefined information. 
     
     
       5. The spraying machine of  claim 4 , wherein the controller operably communicates a first control signal to the actuator upon receipt of a control command for changing the speed or direction of the chassis, and communicates a second control signal to the actuator thereafter, wherein the second control signal is dimensioned so as to cancel an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction that had been induced by the first signal. 
     
     
       6. The spraying machine of  claim 4 , wherein the controller operably communicates, upon receipt of a signal detected by the sensor indicative of a change of speed or direction of the chassis, a control signal to the actuator which is dimensioned so as to cancel out an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction that is induced in the sprayer boom by a change of speed or direction of the chassis. 
     
     
       7. The spraying machine of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is designed to influence the rotational speed of a drive engine or transmission ratio of a drive transmission of the spraying machine or a vehicle towing or supporting movement of the sprayer boom relative to the chassis or to move a mass relative to the chassis. 
     
     
       8. A method for operating an agricultural spraying machine, comprising:
 providing a chassis supported on the ground and configured to be set into motion in a forward direction, a sprayer boom mounted on the chassis, and an electronic controller operably controlling an actuator influencing the propulsion speed or driving direction of the chassis or the sprayer boom for reducing an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction; 
 detecting a first actual or expected oscillation of the sprayer boom; 
 triggering an actuator by the controller in response to the detecting step; 
 changing a speed or travel direction of the chassis or the sprayer boom; 
 detecting a second oscillation in an opposite phase to the detected first oscillation of the sprayer boom; 
 reducing the detected oscillation of the sprayer boom; and 
 detecting a distance between the chassis and the sprayer boom with a sensor, 
 wherein the triggering step include triggering the actuator based on the detected oscillation. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 providing the controller with predefined information or information determined by sensors with regard to the response of the sprayer boom to an acceleration or change of direction of the chassis; and 
 triggering the actuator based on a signal supplied regarding unintended acceleration of the chassis and on the predefined information. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 communicating with the controller a first control signal to the actuator upon receipt of a control command for changing the speed or direction of the chassis, and 
 communicating a second control signal to the actuator thereafter, wherein the second control signal is dimensioned so as to cancel an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction that had been induced by the first control signal. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising communicating with the controller, upon receipt of a signal detected by the sensor indicative of a change of speed or direction of the chassis, a control signal to the actuator which is dimensioned so as to cancel an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction that is induced in the sprayer boom by a change of speed or direction of the chassis. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining by the controller an acceleration acting on an operator of the spraying machine; and 
 triggering the actuator to reduce the acceleration acting on the operator to a predefined threshold value. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising influencing by the actuator a rotational speed of a drive engine or transmission ratio of a drive transmission of the spraying machine or a vehicle towing the sprayer boom. 
     
     
       14. An agricultural spraying machine having a defined transport width, comprising:
 a chassis supported on the ground and configured to be set into motion in a forward direction; 
 a sprayer boom mounted on the chassis, the sprayer boom having a width transverse to the forward direction that is a multiple of the transport width of the spraying machine; and 
 an electronic controller operably controlling an actuator influencing the propulsion speed or driving direction of the chassis or the sprayer boom for reducing an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction; 
 wherein, the controller operably triggers the actuator in response to a detected or expected oscillation of the boom due to a resulting change of speed or travel direction of the chassis or sprayer boom; 
 wherein, an oscillation in an opposite phase to the detected or expected oscillation of the sprayer boom is induced in the sprayer boom adapted to lead to the reduction or cancellation of the oscillation of the sprayer boom; 
 wherein, the controller is coupled to a sensor for detecting an oscillation of the sprayer boom and is operable to trigger the actuator based on the detected oscillation; and 
 wherein the sensor includes:
 an inertial sensor coupled to the sprayer boom, or 
 a sensor configured to detect the distance between the chassis and the sprayer boom. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The spraying machine of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is provided with predefined information or information determined by sensors with regard to the response of the sprayer boom to an acceleration or change of direction of the chassis, the controller configured to trigger the actuator based on a signal supplied regarding unintended acceleration of the chassis and on the predefined information. 
     
     
       16. The spraying machine of  claim 15 , wherein the controller operably communicates a first control signal to the actuator upon receipt of a control command for changing the speed or direction of the chassis, and communicates a second control signal to the actuator thereafter, wherein the second control signal is dimensioned so as to cancel an oscillation of the sprayer boom in the forward direction that had been induced by the first signal.